slow art vs scared art

mid-week creative check-in

Hello! This summer, I’m trying something new with my Substack: I’ll be sending mid-week pep talks. These posts will be shorter, more to the point, and designed to offer a quick, digestible dose of encouragement to help you through the week. It’s an experiment—so let’s see how it goes!

Photo by Camylla Battani on Unsplash

I will sing the praises of slow creativity all day, but what about when ‘slow’ is actually overthinking and avoiding and getting distracted by self-doubt?

How do you tell the difference between pacing and procrastination?

How do you know when you’re putting off action steps because they’re uncomfortable and you’re afraid of what they will lead to?

How do you tell the difference between slow art and scared art?

Slow art is intentional. It honors process over product. It gives space for ideas to marinate, for emotions to surface, for the work to evolve at its own rhythm. Slow art is about trust in yourself, in the creative unfolding, and in the belief that what you're making matters, even if it takes time.

Scared art, on the other hand, is resistant. It hides behind perfectionism, procrastination, and endless planning. It’s shaped by fear of judgment, failure, exposure, maybe even success. Scared art often stays half-finished or stuck in your head, never quite making it to the page, or out into the world.

Reflect on this and be honest with yourself. Go slow. But go steady. Keep showing up.

Give yourself tiny experiments to build self-trust. Get to know who you are outside of your comfort zone and inside your own sense of purpose.

You don’t have to leap. You just have to keep gently choosing yourself.

This is how momentum builds. This is where courage comes from.

…

Facing resistance head-on is a profound expression of creative courage.

If you are seeking guided framework and community to do this work, The Creative Courage Writing Intensive is my signature offering that lays the foundation for how I coach, mentor, and of course, navigate my own creative journey.

The summer cohort runs from July 10 - September 18. Early bird registration is now open, and the discounted price will be available until June 21. You can learn more and get all the details here.

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